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Netflix Leads Final 35‑Day Multiplatform TV Ratings

High streaming audiences did not always protect shows from cancellation because steep production costs and platform strategy played a decisive role in renewal decisions.

Overview

  • Nielsen’s finalized L+35 multiplatform ranker, published Monday, July 20, 2026, covers the 2025–26 season from Sept. 14, 2025 to May 24, 2026 and combines linear and streaming viewing within 35 days of telecasts.
  • Netflix occupied the top three non‑sports slots with Stranger Things (32.9 million), His & Hers (25.6 million) and Sean Combs: The Reckoning (20.6 million).
  • Taylor Sheridan produced three Top‑10 shows, including Paramount Network/Paramount+ spinoff Dutton Ranch, which climbed to sixth with 19.2 million 35‑day viewers.
  • CBS dominated broadcast totals, placing four of the top five broadcast series and posting Marshals as the highest‑rated broadcast show with 19.3 million viewers.
  • The final totals highlight how economics shape programming choices: Netflix’s The Boroughs drew about 12 million viewers over 35 days yet was canceled amid reported roughly $10 million per‑episode costs, signaling cost and corporate strategy often outweigh raw audience size.